Quest engine
Players, current scene, completed clues, hints, approvals, device health, and the event history.
The system map
QUEST ENGINE: scene · clues · wins · approvals · health
↓
snapshots + events
HOME BASE · FIELD KITS
· STACKCHAN
↓
DUALKEY · RGB
· NFC · CATCH
Who remembers what?
Devices
Show their assigned scene. Send one clear event. Ask for a fresh snapshot after a reconnect.
Think of a scoreboard.
A lamp can show that the star is half full. The lamp does not decide how many pieces were found.
Give every message a name tag
01
Add a stable ID
Send "checkpoint scanned" with an event ID, device ID, checkpoint ID, and time.
EVENT 7F3ACheckpoint scanned · Field Kit 01
Check
Retrying the same ID changes progress once.
Fix
Reject duplicates before showing success.
02
Answer every command
Reply with "done," a useful error, or "send me a new snapshot."
COMMAND → ACKNo silent guessing
03
Say which language version you speak
Include protocol and schema versions. A replacement device lists what it can do before taking a role.
Check
Old and new devices agree or stop with a clear message.
Fix
Stop the handoff. Finish the story from Home Base.
Put AI behind a bright fence
AI may
- Draft a story for a grown-up to check.
- Make a hint easier to read.
- Speak as a named character.
- Check one clip a person chose to send.
AI may not
- Listen all the time.
- Pretend a card was scanned.
- Start a motor.
- Change the live story by itself.
Plan the "uh-oh" screen
Network lost
Pause or use a saved line. Never erase the story.
Device rebooted
Ask for a snapshot and redraw the current scene.
Motor rebooted
Stay off until a grown-up enables motion again.
Prop failed
Home Base can skip or finish the step.
Always keep the ending.
If AI, Wi-Fi, or a prop fails, the kids still get the final line and celebration.